Painter&#39;s masking tape and its use

ABSTRACT

Use of an adhesive film which is detachable by pulling in the direction of the bond plane and  
     a) whose self-adhesive composition is based on thermoplastic rubber and tackifying resins, the said adhesive film having high elasticity and low plasticity, the adhesion being lower than the cohesion, the adhesiveness largely disappearing when the film is extended and the ratio of peel force to tear load being 1:1.5 or more, and  
     b) which carries an extensible nonwoven laminated onto one side of the adhesive composition,  
     as a painter&#39;s decorative tape which can be removed again by pulling without residue or damage.

[0001] The invention relates to the use of an adhesive film which is detachable by pulling in the direction of the bond plane as a painter's masking tape and to a painter's masking tape of this kind.

[0002] Painter's adhesive tapes are known, obtainable commercially, and in widespread use by both professional and home decorators. The majority of them are self-adhesive tapes with a backing of paper, which may have been creped or otherwise pretreated. Problems arise with such tapes especially in the course of their subsequent redetachment and also when they are applied non-linearly, in which case stresses in the material lead to partial lifting of the tape and the ingress of paint, varnish or the like under it.

[0003] Also known, however, are strippable adhesive tapes which can be peeled off again without damage by pulling in the direction of the bond plane. Double-sided adhesive films of this kind are on the market as tesa Power Strips®. Products of this kind are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,312, DE 33 31 016 C2, DE 37 14 453 C1, WO 92/11332, U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,581, U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,402, DE 42 22 849 C1, WO 95/06691; DE 44 28 587 C2, DE 44 31 914 A1, WO 97/07172, EP 761,793 A2 and DE 197 08 366. In general, the focus of the products described therein is on double-sided adhesive fixing tapes for bonding two substrates.

[0004] However, there have also been proposals to use such strippable adhesive tapes for masking as well. Thus in U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,581 column 2, line 46 et seq. it is stated that, although the major use is in the categories of “mounting” and “joining”, “labeling” and “masking” would also be appropriate; in this context, however, the structure of the product with its highly extensible sheet backing (column 3, line 40 et seq.) is disadvantageous in terms of cost, production, and use, for example, as painter's masking tape.

[0005] The object of the invention is to remedy this situation and, in particular, to provide an inexpensive, uncomplicated and practical painter's masking tape which at the same time can be stripped off again without residue or damage after it has been used.

[0006] This object is achieved by a tape as characterized in the claims.

[0007] A particularly suitable adhesive composition is one as described in DE 33 31 016 C2, reference being made particularly to the example. A further example is as follows, especially suitable as a single-layer extruder composition: Initial weight: 1000.000 kg Shell: CARIFLEX TR 1101 230.000 kg Shell: CARIFLEX TR 1107 S 235.000 kg Hercules: PENTALYN H 500.000 kg Ciba: STAB-IRGANOX 1010 5.000 kg Ciba: WESTON 399 5.000 kg Ciba: CHIMASSORB 944 5.000 kg Kronos: TITANDIOXID 21600 20.000 kg [titanium dioxide]

[0008] After compounding in a twin-screw extruder, coating takes place preferably through a slot die onto dried release paper in a thickness of in particular 0.3-0.4 mm. The coating is simultaneously covered with an approximately 20 g/m² extensible polymeric spunbonded nonwoven.

[0009] When used as a painter's masking tape, in the course of the final stripping operation the paint-soiled nonwoven separates from the backing and can be disposed of separately.

[0010] Suitable nonwovens are spunbonded nonwovens consisting of polyester and viscose fibres. The basis weights are ideally from 15 to 30 g/m², in particular from 20 to 25 g/m². 

1. Use of an adhesive film which is detachable by pulling in the direction of the bond plane and a) whose self-adhesive composition is based on thermoplastic rubber and tackifying resins, the said adhesive film having high elasticity and low plasticity, the adhesion being lower than the cohesion, the adhesiveness largely disappearing when the film is extended and the ratio of peel force to tear load being 1:1.5 or more, and b) which carries an extensible nonwoven laminated onto one side of the adhesive composition, as a painter's masking tape which can be removed again by pulling without residue or damage.
 2. Use according to claim 1 for non-linear masking.
 3. Use according to claim 1 , characterized in that the adhesive composition comprises antioxidants, UV stabilizers, colorants, fillers and/or other customary auxiliaries.
 4. Use according to claim 1 , characterized in that the adhesive film is 0.3-0.4 mm thick.
 5. Use according to claim 1 , characterized in that the nonwoven has a basis weight of 10-40 g/m², in particular 15-25 g/m² and, in particular, is a polymeric nonwoven.
 6. Painter's decorative tape according to one of claims 1-5. 